The next day arrived.
It was early morning... or, more precisely, early morning in North Africa.
The Newborn World Serpent Headquarters suddenly received a message of the utmost importance.
Even MEI, who was working within the deepest experimental area, was forcibly notified by Prometheus.
"What?"
MEI had secretly contacted Sim Mobius the previous day and then worked through the entire night. Now, she stared ahead in bewilderment.
"Who did you say you found?"
"Otto Apocalypse."
Prometheus Prime had just arrived using "Mimicry: Cosmic Juggernaut."
She delivered her report one word at a time.
"Thirteen minutes and twenty-five seconds ago, we discovered traces of those Remnants of the Old Era in South America."
"..."
For some reason, MEI felt no joy upon hearing the news.
Under normal circumstances, after spending so long searching for one of their potential enemies, finally discovering his whereabouts should have stirred some emotion within her.
Yet all MEI felt now was a deep sense of unease.
It was as though something had lodged itself in her throat, unable to rise or fall.
Therefore...
"How have Kevin and the others responded?" MEI asked.
"The Sovereign and his group have already departed for South America," Prometheus Prime reported truthfully.
"Eleven members are participating in the operation, including Sim Elysia, who is equipped with the Key of Blankness."
After hearing that...
"They used the Herrscher of the Void's Authority to teleport there directly... correct?" MEI asked.
"Yes."
Prometheus Prime nodded. An aerial projection appeared before MEI, displaying the names of all eleven participants in the operation.
"I see."
After reviewing the list, MEI issued her instructions.
"Notify Vill-V, who is still stationed at Headquarters, immediately. Tell her to monitor the global surveillance satellites closely."
"Considering the behavior the Herrscher of Thunder has displayed so far, I'm concerned that a third party may take advantage of this opportunity to cause trouble."
"Also..."
MEI lowered her voice slightly.
"Notify Sim Kevin in secret. He must watch Dr. Einstein closely and ensure that she doesn't go anywhere."
"Understood."
Prometheus Prime nodded again, confirming that she had received all of MEI's instructions.
Then she used "Mimicry: Cosmic Juggernaut" once more, stepping through a golden-orange teleportation gate and leaving the deepest experimental area.
After the girl-shaped figure departed...
It seems I have even less time left than I imagined.
MEI turned to look across the vast underground space before her.
Within her field of vision, a ship she had meticulously modified lay silently docked. In terms of size, it was comparable to the Hyperion of the Current Era.
It was clearly still only half finished.
Even so, it already possessed every function of the original "Solo Ark."
Its maximum crew capacity was three hundred people.
Over the past several days, MEI had loaded it with an enormous quantity of usable supplies, cutting-edge equipment, and even a "Population Bomb."
The so-called "Population Bomb" was not an explosive.
It was a vast collection of cryogenically preserved fertilized eggs.
To put it bluntly, they were the "Kindling" of human civilization.
If this "Prototype Ark" ever had to be deployed under the direst circumstances, and if it were fortunate enough to reach a habitable planet, those fertilized eggs would allow its crew to expand the human population and workforce as quickly as possible.
As for the name of this "Prototype Ark"...
If it ever had to be activated, then the situation facing human civilization on Earth would undoubtedly have become exceptionally dire.
MEI also estimated that a mere three hundred people would most likely be incapable of completing an interstellar voyage on their own.
Therefore...
The Prometheus.
Yes.
If this ship ever set sail, Prometheus Prime would inevitably have to be uploaded into it.
By controlling a nearly limitless number of Omnic bodies, Prometheus Prime would help this generation of humanity travel as far as possible once they left the comforting embrace (and life-sustaining environment) of their homeworld.
"I only hope we never have to use it."
Alone within the vast underground space, MEI quietly murmured those words to herself.
Meanwhile, in South America...
Deep within a secluded cave...
This... well, this was obviously not the hideout of Otto Apocalypse and the other Remnants of the Old Era that the Newborn World Serpent had only just discovered today.
Instead, it was the cozy little nook belonging to Sim Pardofelis, who had already become an Emanator of Harmony.
The effects of the global Cold Wave had yet to subside completely.
Pardo and Can-chan the Cat remained huddled inside their small tent while the wood-burning stove beside them crackled softly.
Pardo was not asleep.
Right now, she could not sleep even if she tried.
Through her "Cat's Eye," she was watching what happened elsewhere in the world, and the sight left her practically burning with anxiety.
Don't get distracted, Boss Kevin!
That Otto guy is only bait!
The Herrscher of Thunder's movements are the real problem!
Sometimes, the phrase "ignorance is bliss" really did ring true.
If Pardo did not know so much, she would not be nearly this worried.
Unfortunately...
After being forced to accept Ling Ke's "Three Major Rules," she could neither kill a Herrscher herself nor indirectly help someone else kill one. She was also forbidden from forcibly interfering with the "Cocoon of Finality."
Furthermore, she could not personally eliminate the various effects caused by the Herrschers.
As for the restriction against opening teleportation gates beyond the Earth-Moon System, that one did not affect her very much at the moment.
"Wait!"
Pardo racked her brain, desperately trying to figure out what she could still do while remaining "within the rules."
It can't be related to the Herrschers...
I can't directly eliminate the effects caused by a Herrscher...
Related... directly...
The catgirl's (?) head was about to explode.
She was terrible at thinking through this kind of thing!
"If Sister Elysia, Sister Eden, or Sister Vill-V were here... Heck, even Sister Snake would be fine!"
Pardo could not help scratching at her head and ears, behaving as though fleas were crawling all over her.
Meow~
Seeing her so restless, Can-chan leaped onto her shoulder and nuzzled her cheek with its fluffy face.
"Stop... That tickles~"
The cat's antics completely shattered Pardo's train of thought.
Not that it mattered much.
Her thoughts had already been a tangled mess...
"Huh?"
Pardo suddenly froze, as if she had just realized something.
Then...
"Even though I can't directly or indirectly eliminate a Herrscher, and I can't directly eliminate the effects caused by one..."
"Boss Ling Ke never said I couldn't indirectly eliminate the effects caused by a Herrscher!"
Pardo clapped her hands together.
Just as she had suspected, Boss Ling Ke had made the rules so detailed precisely because there were still many things he was willing to allow.
For example...
"As long as the person I'm helping isn't a Herrscher, I can still open a portal for Boss Kevin and the others and help them reach whoever they want to see faster, right?"
At that moment, a figure flashed through Pardo's mind.
Someone she barely knew, yet who was undeniably crucial.
Her name was Kiana Kaslana.